Gov. Charlie Baker appears on "CBS This Morning" Feb. 28 with Brian Kelly of U.S. News and World Report to talk about the ranking of Massachusetts as the best state in the country.

Beacon Hill Notebook

State of Politics: Massachusetts is the best, survey says | The state’s supreme billing was propelled by a number one rating in education and number two in health care, in rankings by analysts for U.S. News & World Report. … On a national television morning show yesterday, Gov. Charlie Baker both touted the state’s ranking and highlighted his dinner date with Ivanka Trump. Wonder what they talked about?

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Worcester Regional Airport

Editorial: A double dose of good news for Worcester Regional Airport | Yesterday’s announcement that JetBlue will begin offering service to New York’s JFK International is a home run for Worcester-area travelers seeking a convenient way to see the U.S. and the world. That’s just half of the equation, though. We look at how else this moves Worcester forward.

Sun Spots with Hitch [Vol. 141]: A little direction for Charlie Baker | Everyone knows being a Republican in Massachusetts is a lonely assignment. Heck, unless you’re running against Martha Coakley or living on the North Shore it’s near impossible to even get elected, but hizzoner, the guv’nah — with his steady hand and bipartisan approach — appears well-positioned for an extended run. Where he stands on key issues, though, often confounds his party mates. Hitch, for one, knows a shortcut to the real truth.

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Sun Illustration / Photo courtesy Kevin Mensah, Twitter

Kevin Mensah hopes his big season at Shepherd Hill leads to a scholarship offer from a top football program.

Kevin Mensah looks to end whirlwind year with scholarship | A star high school running back might face a few obstacles on the way to college play. Just ask Kevin Mensah of Worcester, whose complicated school switch last year involved not just Holy Name and Shepherd Hill, but a private school in Connecticut. But he’s had a lot of help, and hopes remain high that a match with a top collegiate program — maybe nearby? — could be on the horizon as Signing Day nears. Joe Parello has the story.

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Courtesy Pen in a Box / David Byun

Zimbabwe is one of the many global destinations for Pen in a Box school supply donations.

Connecticut bets on third casino busting Springfield MGM impact | Massachusetts is hoping to draw gamblers from Connecticut’s Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun, and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribes have pitched the third casino as a way to blunt the impact of Massachusetts’ fledgling legal gambling industry.

Inbox [March 1]: First Unitarian art exhibit reception set, Anna Maria adds 2 majors to HEART Initiative, EPA honors Upper Blackstone chief, Central Mass. gets new EV charging station | Interesting and worthwhile things happen every day in our community. Alas, we can’t cover them all. That’s where Inbox comes in, to offer readers an easily digestible compilation of interesting and noteworthy items you and your neighbors keep telling us about. Have a release or a photo you or your group would like to share? Let us know by emailing it to info@worcester.ma. Be sure to include a link to the full release on your site or Facebook page so we can include it and send Sun members your way.

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